Andrew Jackson

[RulerOfDaPeople]

Why was Andrew Jackson such a popular president? Why is he on the $20 bill? If he were president today he would be hated and despised. I mean this is a guy who was stubborn as a mule (which maybe explains the donkey adoption for the symbol of the democratic party), was a guy who extended executive power beyond any other president, had anger management issues, was horrible on human/civil rights and slaughtered native americans.

So why in the world is this guy considered a successful/popular president?

Think about if we had him today as President. There'd be more than just Guantanamo Bay, there'd be Guantanamo Iraq and all the banks in the US would be closed down by his executive order (ala Bank of the US). He would have the approval ratings of GW Bush!

 

[dwaxe]

Why was George Bush such a popular president? If he were president today he would be hated and despised. I mean this is a guy who was stubborn as a mule, was a guy who extended executive power beyond any other president, had anger management issues, was horrible on human/civil rights and slaughtered innocent people.

So why in the world is this guy considered a successful/popular president?

Cause he's not ^^^^

 

[cybrxkhan]

Andrew Jackson was popular in his own time because he was the first president who did not come from the richer group of people from the old parts of the country. In essence, he was the first president voted "by the people", and not just the rich upper class, regardless of what the hell he did.

Although today I don't think he's considered that great.

 

[flyingchicken]

Andrew Jackson was popular in his own time because he was the first president who did not come from the richer group of people from the old parts of the country. In essence, he was the first president voted "by the people", and not just the rich upper class, regardless of what the hell he did.

Although today I don't think he's considered that great.

Based on this, I await comparisons between Jackson and Obama.

 

[Bigfoot3814]

He wasn't very nice to the Native Americans...

 

[Kraznaya]

A real jackass. Only thing he did correctly was resist nullification.

 

[Cutlass]

He was maybe the first "populist" president. In an era when elitism was taken for granted.

 

[dannyshenanigan]

Before he became president he whipped the British at the battle of New Orleans, and he essentially conquered Florida from Spain.

 

[Pannonius]

The guy hated the banks, he can't be that bad...
(altough, some people wouldn't agree...)

 

[scipian]

You're looking at Jackson from our day and age.

Here's some news. He isn't from our day and age.

You need perspective from the time he was in. He embodied what the common man wanted in that era, he fulfilled their ideals of a great man. His actions are what the people of that time believed in and supported, which is why he was so popular.

 

[aronnax]

And also back then, conquering huge swaths of land and being an imperialists was a good thing.

 

[Narz]

Lets take him off & put Jimmy Carter on the $20 bill. Seeing Jimmy even time people go to make a purchase will help them be more conscientious with their spending.

 

[Leonel]

Based on this, I await comparisons between Jackson and Obama.

Well it's generally frowned upon now to kill Native American's in some circles.

 

[Maimonides]

1. He was a war hero-Battle of New Orleans, Florida campaign, Indian wars.

2. He was tough as hell earning the nickname, Old Hickory. If I remember correctly, he had 2 or 3 bullets in his body when he entered the presidency. Teddy Roosevelt was probably the only other preisident who was that tough.

3. He didn't hate banks as stated earlier in this thread. His political opponents used the U.S. Bank as a political football so he closed it.

There are numerous reasons not to like him. I'm not trying to defend him, but I have no problem with his face being on our currency.

 

[Masquerouge]

Is it the Jackson who was nicknamed Stonewall Jackson?

 

[bhsup]

Is it the Jackson who was nicknamed Stonewall Jackson?

No. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was a Confederate General.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_Jackson

As the Confederate lines began to crumble under heavy Union assault, Jackson's brigade provided crucial reinforcements on Henry House Hill, demonstrating the discipline he instilled in his men. Brig. Gen. Barnard Elliott Bee, Jr., exhorted his own troops to re-form by shouting, "There is Jackson standing like a stone wall. Let us determine to die here, and we will conquer. Follow me."

That was at the First Battle of Manassas. The Confederates did indeed end up winning that one.

 

[Godwynn]

He was the only president to pay off the national debt (got it down to $35,000 at least.) and said if families must live within their means, so must the government.

 

[.Shane.]

He was maybe the first "populist" president. In an era when elitism was taken for granted.

No doubt.

In fact, the anti-intellectualism that we find so dominant in our political discourse starts w/ the Jacksonian Era.

You're looking at Jackson from our day and age.

Here's some news. He isn't from our day and age.

Exactly, not that it matters to the OP, as there's an agenda to this thread that isn't interested in history.

3. He didn't hate banks as stated earlier in this thread. His political opponents used the U.S. Bank as a political football so he closed it.

Sorry, wrong. He hated it. Granted his opponents stoked his hatred, but it was an inevitable issue as its ratification had to be addressed during his presidency.

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Jackson on the $20 is an awesome bit of irony. Kind of like naming an airport after Reagan.

 

[negZero]

Lets see the man conquered Florida twice, was a master of gun kata, beat the British when heavily outnumbered, was in way to many duels for normal man, his assassin's guns jammed in fear of him, beats said assassin with his crane, wears a cape, and at the end of a long life killing he still wanted to kill his own VP. For more reading on Jackson badass acts go here

 

[Shadylookin]

Why was Andrew Jackson such a popular president? Why is he on the $20 bill? If he were president today he would be hated and despised. I mean this is a guy who was stubborn as a mule (which maybe explains the donkey adoption for the symbol of the democratic party), was a guy who extended executive power beyond any other president, had anger management issues, was horrible on human/civil rights and slaughtered native americans.

killing Indians was pretty much a cherished American pastime when Jackson became president so no one held that against him at the time. Jackson was essentially a nobody that gained popularity because he was tough.

So why in the world is this guy considered a successful/popular president?

Think about if we had him today as President. There'd be more than just Guantanamo Bay, there'd be Guantanamo Iraq and all the banks in the US would be closed down by his executive order (ala Bank of the US). He would have the approval ratings of GW Bush!

history hasn't really been kind to jackson. He's generally regarded now as a bad president.